After returning this week from a four-day trip through war-ravaged Ukraine, I said in Geneva, Volker Turk confirmed that he had been forced to take shelter in a bunker during shelling.
His experience is what Ukrainians and UN colleagues experience “on a regular basis,” the high commissioner said, before insisting he read nothing more into the incident than the fact that “It’s a war that must stop”.
message of hope
Quote from the Universal Declaration of Human Rightsadopted 74 years ago by the UN General Assembly to prevent the horrors of two world wars from repeating themselves, Mr Türk stressed that it was the “disregard and disregard for human rights” that “have led to acts of barbarism outrageous on the conscience of humanity”.
In a message of hope, he continued that “even where the challenges seem insurmountable, the solutions will always be within sight if political and social leaders focused their responses only on human rights.”
Sudan and Haiti in the spotlight
This was true in Sudan, the head of OHCHR said, “where civil society, particularly led by women and young people, has done so changed the equation on the ground, urged society to move and develop for the better with more freedoms”.
Mr. Türk stressed the need to focus on crises other than those dominating the headlines, declaring that the desperate situation in Haiti “cannot be ignored”.
Armed gangs “reportedly backed by business and political elites control more than 60 percent of the capital,” said the UN chief of justice in Port-au-Prince.
This disastrous status quo has continued despite 4.7 million people suffering acute hunger and 1,448 people killed, 1,145 injured and 1,005 kidnapped by gangs since the beginning of the year.
“Remember that there are numbers behind each one entire families and communities torn apart by violence‘ said Mr Türk, adding that according to the Human Rights Service of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
“The root causes of the crisis, particularly social inequalities, rampant corruption, collusion between powerful elites and gang leaders, and endemic impunity must be addressed,” he said, adding that they are “Unscrupulous” for people to benefit from the suffering of Haitians.
The High Commissioner reiterated this to those who would threaten Haiti’s peace, security and stability Security Council Sanctions and the arms embargo on Haiti’s “elites” who reportedly support Haiti’s gangs “send a very strong message” to them that such actions must end.
People protest on the streets of Port-au-Prince in crisis-stricken Haiti.
Yemen plea
On Yemenwhere violence between the government and Houthi-backed forces flared up more than seven years ago, Mr Türk explained that while large-scale hostilities and airstrikes have “generally ceased”, reports of civilian casualties have not: “especially by children near the front by landmines and other explosive remnants of war”.
Afghan exclusion
On Afghanistanthe High Commissioner rounded out the decision by the de facto authorities to carry out floggings and executions in public, and the “systematic exclusion” of women and girls from practically every aspect of life[which]has no equal in this world”.
Such actions constituted “a flagrant violation” of Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations, Mr Türk continued, before calling on the Taliban to impose an immediate moratorium on future executions and abolish the death penalty.
Mozambique is the most vulnerable
Referring to Mozambique, where civilians continue to be displaced, killed and subjected to sexual attacks by extremist militias, five years after the conflict began in Cabo Delgado, Mr Türk insisted that the conflict could only be resolved by addressing its root causes.
This requires “protecting economic and social rights, respecting civil space, ensuring access to justice and prioritizing young people and women in socio-economic development and decision-making, including – and this is very important in this context – on the use of natural resources that directly affect their lives‘ said the UN chief justice.
Displaced people from Cabo Delgado receive food aid in Nampula Province, Mozambique.
dispute in Somalia
The situation in Somalia is another staggering human rights emergency that deserves the full attention of the world, Mr. Türk continued.
After the worst drought there in decades and extremist attacks, the country is “faces a humanitarian catastrophe“, he said. At the same time, UN legal officials have documented a steep rise in civilian casualties – “76 percent of which are attributed to the extremist militia al-Shabab,” the high commissioner said.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, 672 people were killed and 1,082 injured in Somalia from January to November, a worrying 51 percent more than in the same period last year.
“Serious human rights concerns also include the arrest and detention of journalists, obstructing freedom of expression, promoting self-censorship and compounding existing human rights abuses,” the UN chief said. “Protecting human rights is a key component of humanitarian action.”
Conflict and drought have led to food shortages in many parts of Somalia.
Personal engagement with China
Asked Chinawhich rejected the findings of a powerful UN legal office report on the treatment of minorities in Xinjiang this summer, the High Commissioner insisted it had highlighted “very serious human rights concerns”..
“Following up the recommendations in the report is my focus and very important to me. Of course we will – and personally I will continue to work with the authorities,” Mr. Türk said, adding “Hope springs eternally for change”.
On the occasion of the 75thth Year of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), announced Mr. Türk a year-long campaign “to commemorate the consensus that this statement envisages”.
Coordinated by the Office of the High Commissioner with partners, the initiative will include activities, actions and “opportunities to renew awareness and commitment to human rights, particularly among young people”.
One of the goals is “to revitalize the spirit, momentum and vitality that forged the UDHR 75 years ago, and to rejuvenate a global consensus on human rights – one that unites us in the face of so many challenges,” stated Mr. Türk.
